Weight and line indicator



May 25, 1937.

H. H. GREENE WEIGHT AND LINE INDICATOR I5 Sheets-She et l Attorney Filed Dec. 51, 1934 Nllllllllllllllll} lNllllllll May 25, 1937. I H. H. GREEN 2,081,665

WEIGHT AND LINE INDICATOR Attbmey May 25, 1937, H. H. GREENE WEIGHT AND LINE INDICATOR Filed Dec. 31, 1954 s Sheets- Sheet s I pventor Attomey Patented May 25, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE WEIGHT AND LINE INDICATOR Howard H. Greene, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application December 31, 1934, Serial No. 760,058

3 Claims.

structed and equipped for the purpose, and includes the indicating device, supporting the same in a position of new and unexpected utility, and

enabling performing all of the line operations by a single operator stationed at the vehicle rather than in a dangerous position at the head of the well, whereby the services of a man at the well may be dispensed with without in any way sacrificing the efficiency of the operations.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a weight and line indicator per se which is more perfect mechanically, is more sensitiveand accurate, and more easily handled and operated than other types of weight and line indicators, and which is not subject to the comparatively rapid wear in other weight and line indicators which requires frequent repairing thereof, to maintain the maximum efiiciency thereof.

Another important object of my'invention is to provide the'wheel of the indicator with removable flanges, enabling replacement of the flanges to correct the diameter of the wheel tocompensate for wear and other damage to the groove of the wheel. I

Other objects and advantages of mylinvention will be apparent from a reading of "the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration Ihave shown a preferred embodiment of my invention,

In the drawings:-

Figure l is a top plan view of a complete embodiment of the invention showing avehicle mounted .weight and line indicator gauging an insulated cable or line which is shown -r1mning over a pulley suspended over a well' head."

Figure 2 is a side elevational view taken from the bottom of Figure 1 and looking upwardly Figure 4 is an edge elevational view of Figure 3 taken from the right thereof.

v Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through Figure 4 approximately on the line 55.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 3 approximately on the line 8-6 and looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows. i

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional iew taken through Figure 4 approximately on the line 1-1 and looking toward the right in the direction of the arrows.

taken through the line wiper and approximately 20 on the line i2-l2 of Figure 3 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 generally designates a suitable vehicle preferably an automobile truck on the rear of 25 which is arranged a platform 6 in the nature of a covered box which is supported on the frame extensions I to the rear of the reels or drums 8 and 9, respectively, which are housed by the casing l0 having the upwardly swingable cover ll 30 l in its rounded top l2. The drum 8 carries the insulated electric cable, while the drum 9 carries the regular steel cable. The drums are arranged to be driven by theengine of the vehicle through a suitable. chain or other transmission means 35 I3 which is releasably engageable with-the drums in a selective manner by means of the clutch control handle I4 and the throttle control handle l5, whereby the operator, who may also be the operator of the truck, is enabled to control the 40 drums and all of the operations of the invention from a position adjacent the rear of the truck. A rotary handle it is provided. to control a suit- 7 able brake for braking the drums as may be desired, all of these controls being groupedsubstan- 45 tially in a single place and out of the way of the 5 drums. Forwardly of thecasing I2 is a box H which extends across the truck and is provided with a cover I 8, to contain fuses or the like for the torpedoes while a larger box I! provided with 50.

a hinged cover 20 is arranged to contain the nitroglycerlne in ten quart containers, and covers i8 and 20 being so arranged that they may be closed by. a single locking arrangement 2 I, including hasps on the several covers. Side or rimning 55 board boxes 22 and 28 may be provided to carry the various tools and other devices used in the various operations.

A generally triangular bracket 24 composed of an L-shaped part I! and a brace 26 between the extremities thereof has the standard portion 21 rotatably mounted in a vertical position in a vertical socket 28 which is strapped or clamped as indicated on the back part of the truck to the rear of the drum casing and toward one side thereof as indicated in Figure 1. The outer-extremity oi the horisontal part of the bracket is provided with a vertical sleeve 29 which receives the sleeve ll on the weight and line indicator which is generally designated 3|, whereby the weight and line indicator ii is pivotally mounted on the bracket and capable of swinging toward one side or the other of the truck, according to the drum in use and the position of the cable thereon, the weight and line indicator being swung back and forth as may be required to accommodate these factors during the reeling or unwinding of either of thecables. The bracket 24 supports the weight and line indicator at a height which has been found to be most convenient and emcient.

The weight and line indicator per se, which is an improvement upon the weight and line indicator which is the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 600,244, which was flled on March 21, 1932, of which the present applica tion is a continuation in part, comprises the frame or body" whose upper part is inverted. V-shaped in form as indicated at 13 and provided with the vertical opening 84 through which works the rod ll. Bolted as indicated at 38 to aflat part on the upper'end of the frame or body is the hydraulic diaphragm housing which is generally designated 31.

Below the legs of the V-shaped portion 33 the frame has vertical parts 88, 3! on the inner side of which are removable runners I and ll of generally semi-circular cross section. Below the portions 38 and 3! are the openings 42 and, which are similarly disposed in the base part 44 and in which the pulleys I! and 46 are mounted.

The sleeve 8. before referred to as seated in the socket II of the bracket 24 has pinned thereto as indicated at 41 the bolt 48 which extends upwardly through the lower ball bearing structure I! which is seated in an opening in the bottom of the base I4 and through the vertical opening 50 in the base, and through the second ball-bearing structure ll above which it is provided with a flanged head '2 bearing on the top of the bearing II. The flanged top I! of the bolt is countersunk in the opening in which the upper bearing II is seated, and this opening forms areservoir for lubricant which is confined and protected by a removable cover 58 which may be screwed in place on the top of the base 44, as particularly well shown in Figure 5. The base is circularly expanded and reinforced as indicated at 54 around the bolt construction, and a U-shaped handle I! is attached to the flat sides of the left hand side of the base as shown in Figure 3 and also in Figure 4, the handle being formed andextended so as to lie outwardly of the extended portion 64 at thatside of the base, the handle being provided to enable the operator standing at his station beside the controls at the rear of the truck, to pull the device back and forth as may be required.

In the pulley openings 42 and 43 there are disposed transverse axles and 1, respectively,

whose ends are mounted in suitable bearing structures confined by removable plates II and I! at opposite sides which close openings receiving the bearings (not shown) and confine lubricant therein and prevent the ingress of dirt. The pulleys ll and 46 are properly grooved and have their axes horizontally aligned and are adequately spaced to receive the line or cable thereover with the main wheel Bl lying on the line or cable portion which extends between the pulleys as indicated in Figure 2.

The main wheel comprises the hub portion 6 i. from which radially emanates the thinner web 82 which has its radially outward part expanded on opposite sides as indicated at 63 and provided on one side with the radially outwardly extending flange Bl. An axial opening 65 is provided for receiving the axle Bl.

Two complemental removable flanges 61 and 68 are mounted on the periphery of the wheel, the flange 61 having the substantially triangular form shown in Figures 9 and 10 and the flange I having the generally triangular but mutilated form shown including the annular notch 68 which abuts the axial face and the radially outward face of the flange 6 whichhas threaded openings to receive the flange mounting bolts or screws 10 which pass through smooth accommodating openings in the flange 61 and threaded openings i n the flange 88 to engage the threaded openings in the flange 64. By this arrangement a positive diameter and width of the groove defined by the removable flanges may be preserved with respect to the wheel 60 simply by replacing the flanges when they have become worn or otherwise mutilated, thereby preserving the proper mathematical relationship which is established by the diameter of the wheel, the cross section of the groove therein, the diameter of the cable used thereon, and the number of rotations made by the wheel, in conjunction with the hydraulic displacement of the hydraulic diaphragm device to be described.

The ends of the axle 68 which carries the wheel 60 are mountedin suitable ball-bearing structures (not shown) which are located in the side plates II and I2 of the vertically movable carriage II, the necessary openings for the bearings being closed by removable plates I4 and II which also act as media for conflning lubricant in the said bearings. The carriage may be cast in one piece and have the hollow generally triangular form indicated in the drawings forming a housing for the wheel as particularly well indicated in Figures 3 and 5 and include the webs ll, 11 and It, respectively, which connect the side plates together. Between theside plates at .the lateral extremities thereof are mounted the grooved guide wheels I! and Ill whose'grooves conform to the exterior contour of the guides ll and II already mentioned. Just inwardly of .the wheels H and I0 are the notches Ii and 82 which are arranged only in the side plate 1| for the purpose of exposing the screws III which connect the flanges 81 and It to the 'wheel, and thereby enable removal of the flanges without removing the wheel 80 from its place, each of the flanges being composed of a pair of half sections whose line of division is exposed by the notches II and I! as indicated in Figure 3.

The carriage 13 has threaded into the apex web 18 thereof the lower end of the diaphragm operating rod 35 which works through the opening 3| in the top of the frame or body of the device as indicated in Figure 5, the upper end of the rod 35 being telescoped into the diaphragm socket 83 and traversed by a pivot pin ll whose 18 ends are seated in openings 88 in the sides of the socket, and the top of the socket is conically shaped as indicated at 88. The top of the socket is fastened by any suitable means such as soldering 81 to the bottom of a copper diaphragm 88 which is stretched across the top of the lower diaphragm casing section 88 which is circular in form and has its top concaved as indicated so as to leave a movement space below the diaphragm. Depending from the section 88 is the neck 88 which spacedly surrounds the socket 88 and the rod 35 and is secured by its flange by the bolts 38 to the top of the frame or body of the device.

Bolted to the section 88 as indicated at 9| by bolts which traverse the flange on the section v89, -the diaphragm, and the flange 82 is the inverted cup-shaped dome 98 which contains a quantity of hydraulic fluid (not shown) and opens into the lower end of a pressure gauge 95. The diaphragm 88 is sumciently stifl to suspend the carriage in an intermediate position but flexible enough to respond to extremely small changes in the up-push of the carriage I8 which result from changes in tension of the cable on which the wheel 88 is riding. This arrangement is much more sensitive and long lived than the arrangement shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 600,244 filed on March 21, 1932, and other similar constructions utilizing media which depend upon the durability of frictionally moving or otherwise engaging surfaces which are subject to comparatively rapid wear and proportional reduction in efllciency, requiring frequent replacement to maintain accuracy and maximum efflciency. The diaphragm 88 in the present arrangement is practically indestructible in service and for that reason continues forits life to transmit accurately the wheel pressures to the the main wheel 88 is fastened, the counter being arranged to clearly exhibit through its window as indicated at It i In utilizing the device of the invention the truck is run to a point near the hole or the wellhead I82, that is, to a. distance which is convenient and yet safe as regards proximity to the well head, and after a suitable support W3 havmg, the pulley iilfl has been arranged over the well, the appropriatecable W5 may be run over the pulley I84 as indicated in Figure 2, the cable having a suitable hook I85 engaged with the bail I86 of the torpedo or the like 587 so that as the torpedo strikes the bottom of the portion of the well being worked upon the hook will undo and enable the cable to be withdrawn and leave the torpedo in place.

The cable on the reel or drum .8 is of the insulated steel type. whichis used for firing the fuses in the well through establishing a circuit through the cable to the torpedo and through the well casing to the truck to which the cable drum is mounted, a suitable wire being run from withdrawing the same, while the insulated cable is used chiefly for firing the torpedoes after location in the well.

A wiper rod I88 having a forked end I88 bolted as indicated at I I8 to-one edge of the body ofthe parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

what is claimed is:-

1. In a weight and line indicator comprising a frame for mounting on a support, the upper portion of the frame being of an inverted vshaped formation, a vertically movable carriage of triangular formation mounted in said frame andmovable into said inverted V-shaped portion of the frame, a main wheel on said carriage, guide wheels on the lower corners of the carriage and being grooved in their periphery, said frame including legs depending from the lower extremities of the inverted V-shaped. portion, runners on the inner side of the legs engageable by the grooved wheels mounted in the lower corners of the carriage, said legs having openings in their lower portions, supplementary wheels in said openings, said supplementary wheels being designed to carry a cable thereacross.'while said main wheel rests upon that portion of the cable which extends between the supplementary wheels, gauge means on the apex of the inverted V-shaped portion, and means operatively connecting the gauge with said carriage.

2. In a weight and line indicator comprising a frame for mounting on a support, the upper portion of the frame being of an inverted V- shaped formation, a vertically movable carriage of triangular formation mounted in said A frame and movable into said inverted V-shaped portion-of the frame, a main wheel on said carriage, guide wheels on the lower corners of the carriage and being grooved in their periphery, said frame including legs depending from the lower extremities of the inverted V-shaped portion, runners on the inner side of the legs engageable by the grooved wheels mounted in the lower corners of the carriage, said legs having openings in their lower portions, supplementary wheels in said openings, said supplementary portion of the cable which extends between the supplementary wheels, gauge means on the apex of the inverted V-shaped portion, and means operatively connecting the gauge with said carriage,'a bottom portion connecting thebottom ends of the legs and means depending therefrom whereby the frame may be supported.

3. In a weight and line indicator comprising a frame for mounting on a support, the upper portion of the frame being of an inverted V- shaped formation, a vertically movable carriage of triangular formation mounted in the frame and movable into said inverted V-shape portion of the frame, a main wheel on said carriage. guide wheels at the lower corners 01 said carriage. legs depending from the V-shape portion and forming part of the frame, runners mounted on the inner side of the. legs engaged by the guide wheels. supplementary wheels on the frame, said supplementary wheels being designed to carry a cable thereacross while said main wheel rests upon that portion oi! the cable which extends between the supplementary wheels, 9. gauge on the apex oi? the inverted V-shape portion of the frame, and means operatively connecting the gauge with the carriage.

HOWARD H. GREENE. 

